Controlled
by Ellbogen
Summary: Set after last episode of series one. Arthur is seeing a suspicious person around the castle. Meanwhile, Merlin has troubles of his own. Read and review if good or bad.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N – I'd like to thank my mother, who got me to watch Doctor Who (I'm going somewhere with this) and I fell in love with it. After that, I've been watching all other BBC Saturday programs, which included Merlin. So therefore, my Mum is the reason for this story. And Kirstie, she was bored so I wrote a story, and then texted her at 2am because I was so excited over the storyline. That's how cool I am. So, here goes!**

* * *

Prince Arthur was having a walk around the castle and the village protected directly by it, which generally woke him up in the mornings. Although it was his usual stroll around the place he grew up in, he felt almost lost without his manservant.

Over recent months he realised how much he had relied on Merlin for helping him hunt, get dressed and other various errands. Only then, moments before he also realised how much he relied on him as a friend and companion, a friend who could change a boring place into such a more interesting one with just their presence.

He had given Merlin the past few days off, as he could clearly tell that Gaius's near-death kept his mind occupied. Arthur was not very observant of other peoples thought and feelings, but even he could tell a man was troubled when they used a roll of bread to clean shoes.

Apart from Merlin's own distractions, the Prince had his own. Before Gaius's incident, Merlin had started talking to him about how he saw Arthur. Although he gave the impression that he hadn't given it anymore thought, it still confused him about what he was initially trying to say.

In his deep thought, Arthur had not been concentrating on where he was walking, and bumped into a small, bent, cloaked person. He was about to apologise until the figure looked up. He looked so familiar, but half of his face was shielded by the hood, but his voice sounded unfamiliar.

"He's hiding a secret. He's not who you think." Said the man, in a rasping voice, and then scurried off.

"Wait! Who do you mean? Who are you?" called Arthur after the strange man, but the crowds going to market were louder than his calls. He took one last glance at the man before he disappeared around the corner.

* * *

"Merlin! I do insist you stop fussing this instance! I'm fine!" said the Physician frustratedly. "It has been a week now!"

"No way, Gaius. You were dead. You sacrificed yourself for me. There's no way I'm leaving you alone." Merlin said bossily, while making porridge for Gaius to have in bed.

"Merlin." Gaius said sharply, in a voice that stopped Merlin in his tracks. "It has been a week. You've also been neglecting your duties." He ripped the blanket off him, along with several others that Merlin had added to keep him warm.

"Does it matter? All I would have missed was a new shoe polishing technique…"

"Well, you do need to learn a better one. From what Arthur tells me, bread isn't too effective." smiled Gaius "You've had three days off, now eat that porridge and get to work!"

"But it's your porridge."

Gaius stopped to think. "Erm, I insist, you made it… You should eat it."

"Okay, fine, if you're su-"

"I'm fine! If I have any trouble, I'm sure you'll rescue me, you usually do. As a treat, you can check up on me every hour."

Merlin sighed with a laugh. He had known Gaius was perfectly fine, even without the constant telling. He felt that Gaius deserved the 'special treatment', but he also needed it for his own peace of mind.

He forced down the last of the porridge (it was rather lumpy, not as good as Gaius's porridge) and went to find the Prince.

He ran to his Master's room, but found him gone. Well, it was half nine, and guessed that he went on a stroll, for there was no hunt planned until tomorrow.

He walked down the corridor, but suddenly a hand grabbed his. It pulled him into an empty room, which he initially thought was empty, but then saw a couple of brooms alongside a staff. To notice the staff he had to do a double-take, as it was well disguised next to the brooms. He turned to see the face of the person who had grabbed him, but all he saw was darkness alongside a dull, cracking thud against his skull.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Sorry, about this chapter, it isn't very long and I'm not entirely happy with it but I can't really join it to the first or third chapter. It just sticks out, sorry. **

* * *

It was until his evening meal with Morgana and Gwen when Arthur saw his manservant.

"Merlin!" cried the three when he walked into Morgana's chambers.

"Oh, hey." Merlin replied, with a blank, almost cold look on his face.

"How is Gaius, Merlin?" asked Gwen, seeing the look upon Merlin's face had shocked them all, almost as if someone had died.

"Gaius?" he asked, looking confused. "Oh right, no. He's fine. He's better now." He looked over his shoulder. "I should go now. Goodbye." He said woodenly, and left the three, who looked bewilderedly at each other.

"He didn't look well, did he?" commented Morgana, after an extended silence. None of them had seen their friend, so filled with feeling act so cold.

"Didn't look well!? He was nothing like himself!" Arthur exclaimed, taking a sip out of his goblet. "He was nothing like when I last saw him, and he was still acting odd then..."

"Maybe he's still worried about Gaius?" suggested Gwen, half hoping there was a simple reason for his actions.

"I don't think he was, remember when you asked about Gaius? He barely remembered him."

Morgana stood up. "He probably was ill." She started to clear up, with Gwen jumping up to help. "Although it was a bit…odd. He may be better tomorrow."

Arthur nodded, and he left Morgana and Gwen to return to his chambers. He noticed Merlin ahead of him, about to turn the corner.

"Merlin, slow down!" shouted Arthur after his manservant, but Merlin carried on walking and turned around the corner out of sight. The Prince chased down the corridor to catch up with Merlin, but when he turned around the corner, no one was to be found.

Sighing, Arthur turned back to return to his room, to what he hoped was sleep, but ended up to be worries for his friend.

* * *

In the early hours, it was clear to Arthur that he was not going to go to get sleep that night, and decided to go to Gaius for some aid to help him sleep. He pulled on a pair of boots, but left the straps free.

When he reached the Physician's room, he felt guilty to wake him. He raised his fist to knock, but he had no need to.

Merlin stood at the door, still not smiling, but he looked better than he did before, his skin had more colour, and his eyes weren't it's usual blue, yet they looked more alive, like they had more personality, even if it wasn't his own. "May I help, Sire?" he asked, in a quiet monotone, staring deep into Arthur.

Arthur ignored the question, and replied with another question. "How did you know I was coming?"

"I saw you through my window. I couldn't sleep either." He answered, and let the Prince inside the room so they could both sit down.

"How did you know I couldn't sleep? I didn't even answer the question you asked with my need of help…" he said, rather confused.

"You're up at such an early hour, why else?" he stared deep into Arthur's eyes.

"I… never mind" Arthur tilted his head, edging it ever close to Merlin's.

"Ah, I thought I heard you two rattling about in here." Gaius said to the duo, as he groggily walked in. "Can't either of you two talk at a more reasonable hour? During the day, perhaps?" he said grumpily.

"Sorry, Gaius" Arthur broke away from Merlin's stare and stood up. "I was having trouble getting to sleep, is there anything…" he trailed off as Gaius put a small bottle in his hand.

"Morgana does not always come for her medicine, seems that she doesn't need it tonight. You can have hers. "Gaius explained.

"Uhh, thanks. Merlin, will you be coming in tomorrow?" Arthur started to walk back to the door.

"Yes. Tomorrow morning. Early?" Merlin asked, in the same monotonous tone he greeted Arthur with.

"Just the usual time." And then left the room to return to his own chambers to finally go to sleep, yet still he had Merlin's odd behaviour on his mind.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: I don't think I've said thanks to Kirstie yet. Well, here I am, thanking her for reading through my story. Thank you! I'd also like to thank my black pen, as it was the last chapter it wrote fully. It sadly ran out during the first paragraph of Chapter 4 soon after. **

* * *

Early next morning, Arthur woke up to not Merlin walking in tripping over himself or accidentally slamming the door like he usually did, but to Merlin calling him next to his bed.

"Arthur… Arthur… Arthur…" he said, getting louder each time he said his friend's name.

"My word, Merlin, you've mastered the art of just waking me up and not half the castle." He turned over to see Merlin, but saw the pale-faced Merlin, the one that spoke boringly, staring at others with his sunken, dark eyes.

"Merlin, you look ill." commented Arthur on his manservant's appearance.

"I feel well." replied Merlin, who was now preparing breakfast.

"Well, you don't look it or sound it." He paused to think. "Have you eaten breakfast?" and he sat up to watch Merlin prepare his room for the morning.

It was different. There was no tripping, no loud 'oops' coming from the wardrobe and the breakfast being put neatly on the table with no spillages.

Arthur got out of bed and sat cautiously at his breakfast. "If you are well Merlin, then why are you-"

"Being efficient, Sire? I apologise if it affects you so badly."

"No, no, but… I don't know. Anyway, don't forget it's hunting today. I need my best equipment to get good food for the feast tonight."

"No problem."

Arthur looked up at Merlin, who was pouring water into Arthur's goblet. "No excuses?" he asked, rather confused by the fact Merlin wasn't making up a mystery illness or allergy.

"No, Sire. I'll just be getting your equipment and I'll come back to dress you. Enjoy your breakfast." Merlin glanced at Arthur's untouched bowl, and went through the door.

When Merlin left the room Arthur prodded at his porridge. He noticed how unlumpy it was, but dropped the spoon and went to the pile of clothes Merlin had left. He carefully put his clothes on. He had a few days practice of dressing himself, yet he still wasn't perfect.

He always had someone to dress him, so he felt he never needed to learn how to do it properly, but as everyone does, you learn something over time just by watching.

He took a sip of water, but promptly spat it out. He peered into the goblet, but it looked like normal water, so he guessed a rat had gotten into the pump in the courtyard. He made a mental note to get someone to check it, and left his room.

When he got into the corridor, he saw Merlin crouched down on the floor leaning onto the wall. Arthur ran to him and knelt down beside him.

"Merlin, are you okay?" he asked, then he noticed his friend's shallow breaths, as if he were a fish out of water.

When Merlin looked up, it shocked Arthur to the bone. His face was a deathly white with beads of sweat streaming down his face. Arthur had only seen his face like this only once before, when he almost died.

"Merlin, listen to me." Arthur held his manservant and tried to lift him up from under his arms.

"Arthur… Arth... I can't- breathe" Merlin struggled to say his words. He struggled to breathe.

Arthur scooped up his friend and carried him. Although Merlin was the same age as him and fully grown, he was so small and skinny compared to Arthur.

He carried Merlin down to Gaius's room, and pushed the door gently open with Merlin's body and laid him on the bed.

"Merlin, is that you?" called Gaius. "Where have yo-" he stopped in mid-sentence when he saw Merlin on the bed with Arthur crouched over him. "What's happened?" he exclaimed, as he rushed to Merlin's bedside and rested his hand on his forehead.

"I – I – I don't know" stuttered Arthur. "He left my room to get my hunting equipment. I came out after him about twenty minutes later and he was on the floor barely breathing…" Arthur held back tears. A future King should not cry over their manservant, but over a friend? He stepped back to control himself. "What's the matter with him?"

Gaius looked up and saw genuine worry in the Prince's eyes. "I've eased his breathing, but I'll need to carry out an examination. Is there anything else you've noticed this morning?" he turned around to gather his instruments to carry out tests for Merlin.

"Last night, at supper, he wasn't himself. Oh, and this morning, he wasn't-" he paused, and slightly smiled to himself, "sounds stupid but, he wasn't clumsy."

Gaius looked over his shoulder and smiled. "Now, go on with your hunt. You can come back after to see him. That is, if you want to…" Gaius trailed off, seeing the look on Arthur's face. "Do not worry, Sire. Just carry on with your day, without Merlin."

Arthur slowly walked to the door and turned back to his friend, who was restlessly sleeping. He went through the door and closed it behind him. He couldn't go hunting now. What if Merlin needed him? He went down to the courtyard to inform the knights that he wasn't joining the hunt, and walked directly into his father.

"Arthur, why are you not dressed for the hunt?" Uther inquired, looking at his son up and down.

"I'm not going. I am not in the right mind for it today I'm afraid." Arthur looked at his boots to his father's face, which looked rather displeased.

"Why ever not?" Uther raised an eyebrow.

"Merlin-"

"Your manservant?" he sneered. "Arthur, you do not need your manservant all the time. Whatever reason he cannot go to your hunt, you need not worry about him. You can go on alone with the knights. Now go change into your hunting clothes, get your equipment and go." He stared intensely at his son until he left, and Uther carried on his way to the main hall.

Arthur did not intend to go to hunting before his father's lecture, and after he felt the same. He took a different route to the courtyard and told a knight to leave without him, and if anyone asked, that he was at the hunt.

Unable to wander around the castle in case the King found him, and unable to visit his sick friend, he went to Morgana's room.

Walking cautiously around, he saw a familiar hooded figure coming out of the passage which only led to the Physician's chambers. Arthur, not wanting to scare the person away, quietly followed at a quick pace. However, when the figure turned around the next corner as well as Arthur who was following him, found that he was after no one. He was simply gone, similar to recent disappearance.

"Merlin."

* * *

**A/N-2: Right, reading this over made me realise how it could be seen as kinky stuff. I'd like to just say, it isn't. Arthur is just worried :)**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Sorry I didn't update yesterday, but I went to a New Years Party and before that I had to deliver newspapers. Yuck. For those who think I may be rushing updating everyday, I'm not because I've already written the story and I'm just typing up. Also, happy 23****rd**** birthday to Colin Morgan. This story isn't dedicated to you, I just wanted to say happy birthday.**

*****

Running wildly back down the corridor to where he first saw the person, and turned the corner down to Gaius's room. He barged through the door, to find Gaius bending over Merlin. He turned around

"I thought you went hunting, Sire." Gaius said while folding his arms.

"I told them to leave without me" he explained quickly "Has anyone been here apart from you and me?" asked Arthur, stepping closer to Gaius.

"Probably not, but I've only just finished my rounds. I only came back a few moments before yourself. Why?" he raised an eyebrow. "Is there something you're not telling me, Sire?"

"No, I was-" he stopped talking and looked over to the bed which Merlin was sitting up in.

"Merlin, nice of you to join us again!" Gaius exclaimed, with a big grin upon his face.

"Hello Gaius. Hello Sire. Why, where have I been?" Merlin simply asked while looking around him.

Gaius folded his arms with a confused expression on his face. "Don't you remember what had happened?"

"No."

"What do you remember?" Gaius asked sitting next to Merlin on the bed, slightly worried by his friend's loss of memory.

Arthur had tuned out of the conversation at this point. He was hoping that Merlin's condition earlier would have rectified his behaviour, but his next actions proved not.

A sudden shout came from Merlin. "I said I was fine!" Merlin stood up from the bed and stalked out of the room. Arthur stared at the door Merlin had just walked out of. He looked at Gaius, who was looking sadly at the spot Merlin was originally sitting.

"What on Earth..?" Arthur looked back at Gaius with a look of bewilderment.

"I've never seen him so… so… angry." He moved back to the chair, just wanting to get away from the spot where Merlin had acted so differently, not just him, but to anyone.

"Merlin has never been in any mood even close to anger." Arthur sat on the bed and pulled it closer to the old Physician, who was in deep thought.

"Listen, Gaius, it isn't him talking, it isn't you nor I putting him in this… mood." He rested a hand on Gaius's shoulder. "I better go and find him." Arthur stood up and pushed the bed back to its original place.

As he was about to leave the room, Gaius asked, "What do you mean by 'it wasn't him talking'?"

Arthur turned to look at Gaius, "Merlin is not an angry person. Merlin… Merlin cares." And he turned back to leave the room, and heard Gaius say;

"So do you, Sire. So do you."

*

Merlin dove into a storeroom, making sure no one saw him go inside. He pulled out a small hand mirror from his pocket and looked into it.

In the mirror, there was not a reflection which most people would expect to see, but an image of a hooded man, who had half his face covered by the hood.

"You shouldn't have shouted. Gaius and you are close, as Gaius is close to him." The reflection wheezed. "You need to keep the young Pendragon close as well, he could also prove useful."

"The old man was asking questions."

"No! You need to keep those close to the king close to you. Why do you think you were chosen, boy?" The creature's voice which started steady and quiet now roared with rage.

Merlin slumped to the floor, almost screaming in agony. "No!" he half-shouted while struggling to breathe once again. "They're my friends; you can't make me do this!"

A thin, bony hand reached out of the mirror, putting it onto Merlin's face and whispered;

"Oh, but I can."


	5. Chapter 5

It was nightfall when Arthur stopped searching for Merlin. He had no longer cared if his father caught him roaming around the castle when he was supposed to be hunting, Merlin was more important. He walked back to his room to eat supper, not even realising that no one was there to serve it to him. As he trudged past the great hall he heard laughter and music playing from the room.

"The feast!" he cried. With Merlin missing, he had forgotten all about it. The Prince ran to his chambers to dress and thinking up excuses for his lateness, but when he got there he saw someone that just put an enormous grin on his face.

"Merlin, where have you been?! Ever since you shouted like that to Gaius, I've been looking everywhere. What were you shouting about?" Arthur asked his manservant while undressing himself (it was a great deal easier than dressing himself).

"Hello Sire. I was just out, then I came back to prepare you for the feast. I don't know what happened with Gaius, I may have just been tired." replied Merlin in a quiet voice, preparing his Master's clothes, never taking his eyes off his task. "You must hurry, you're over an hour late and the King knows you did not go on the hunt."

Arthur groaned while putting on his smart jacket. "How did he find out?"

"I do not know, Sire."

"Come on Merlin, we have a feast to go to." And he promptly ran out of his chambers with his manservant in tow.

*

At the feast, Merlin took his usual place next to Gwen, both holding their usual platter of food and drink and Gwen forced herself to smile at every guest who walked near her, while Merlin kept his hard, stony gaze upon each one.

"Merlin, I heard you were ill this morning. Are you sure you're okay to be at the feast?" she asked cautiously, as she also heard (not wanting to provoke Merlin to have another burst of rage, she didn't mention out loud) he shouted at Gaius for asking the very same question.

Merlin turned to Gwen with his recently found dark eyes and hollow face, "I feel fine. Do not ask me again, Gwen."

Where had the cheery man gone, the man who kept her entertained during the long feasts where the rich had fun and the poor simply watched? Gwen looked back at Merlin and was shocked by what looked at her.

"Merlin, your eyes, I thought-"

Merlin looked away and blinked hard with his eyelids scrunching together. "You thought nothing. Now stop asking me things and leave me!" his voice had gotten louder as everything around him became silent. Gwen looked around with tears in her eyes and a pink tinge in her cheeks and fled from the hall, with an observant and concerned Morgana following.

As she walked past she whispered angrily at Merlin, "I'll deal with you later." And she shot a glowering look at him and carried on after Gwen.

A booming voice came from across the hall. "What on Earth is happening here?" demanded Uther. "You, boy! I do not stand for bad manners to anyone, even my servants. Explain yourself!"

Merlin looked around him, even though there was no one else there that was shouting at their fellow servants.

Uther stood up from his chair and started walking towards the young warlock. When he was no more than three feet away, Merlin doubled over in agony and started to scream in pain.

"No, stay back!" Merlin held up his other hand which wasn't grasping his stomach and retreated through the doors. He dodged each guard who was holding up a threatening battle spear at him and ran out of sight around the corner.

Uther was in outrage. "Arthur! Was that your manservant?" he yelled to his son, not bothering to look at him.

"No." And that was the truth.

*

Merlin stopped running when he had finally lost the guard who were chasing him. He slumped down against the wall to catch his breath once again and go back to the storeroom. Well, that was the plan.

"Merlin."

He looked up to see Morgana, who was wearing a dreadful look upon her face. Merlin, who had controlled his breathing at this point, stood up to look at Morgana, eye to eye.

"How did you find me?" he asked, with no variation in his tone of voice, as he straightened his jacket and dusted down his trousers.

"You decided to rest right outside my door." She nodded over her shoulder "I thought you would have at least have tried to avoid me."

"Well, you wanted to talk to me. Talk." His morose eyes looked deeper into Morgana's silvery grey ones.

"You don't talk to anyone like that! Especially Gwen! She is a good friend to me, and I thought she was a good friend to you as well. What has been up with you recently? You didn't-" she broke off as she watched Merlin.

His eyes rolled back into their sockets and went back into focus again as he collapsed onto the floor. His breaths once more became shallow as they did earlier in the Great hall.

"Morgana… Morg…" he gasped, trying to look at her. Morgana saw Merlin's serious state, and realised at once that he wasn't trying to get out of trouble and knelt down by his side.

"I wasn't- me…" still not breathing properly he gathered his energy to try once again to explain, "There's a war-" he roared in agony once again, clutching his stomach to help suppress the pain, although it was all over his body.

"Shh, Merlin" she comforted, and shouted for her maid. "Gwen. Gwen!"

Gwen opened the door, still a bit teary eyed, looked around and then down to see Morgana hovering over Merlin,

"What did you do?!" Gwen asked with her eyes widening in shock, looking down at the scene before her.

"Don't be silly, Gwen. I didn't do this!" Morgana said, exasperated, "Help me take him to Gaius, he'll know what to do." She took Merlin from underneath his arm "You get the other one" she said as she nodded at his other arm, still trying to support the young warlock's weight. Gwen took his other arm at once and rested her shoulder's beneath his arm.

The two women carried Merlin to Gaius's chambers with occasional stops for him to double-over or scream, which pained the women to watch helplessly and encouraging Merlin to keep walking. As well as the stops, he kept trying to talk to both Morgana and Gwen.

"Listen… listen to me…" he forced out, followed by a short, strangled cry.

"Merlin, don't try to talk, it only makes you worse" Gwen said soothingly over Merlin's loud breathing.

"No! I need to…" he swallowed and tried to get more air, "Uther… I'm being-" he screamed once again, screwing his eyes up. His hair was now soaked with sweat as well as his clothes.

"Merlin, we're nearly there, you just need to work with us, okay?"

"Gwen, you need to… listen" he paused to breathe once again "his name is-"

"My goodness!" exclaimed Gaius, who had peered out of his door to see what all the commotion was. "What's Merlin been doing? Has he been drinking again?"

"No, no. I was talking to him, and he just-" Morgana looked worriedly at Merlin, who was still breathing badly, and he looked up at Gaius and forced a cheeky smile at him.

"Right, come in, quickly. Put him on the bed." He pointed them in the direction of the bed which Merlin had laid in earlier. Morgana and Gwen carefully put down the agonised warlock and waited patiently by his side.

Merlin grabbed Gwen by her sleeve and pulled her closer to him. She leant her head closer to his and heard him whisper; "Braeden." And then he fell limp onto his bed, and ceased breathing.

"Merlin?" whispered Gwen, "Merlin?" she grew more anxious and yelled "Gaius! He's stopped… he stopped…" her eyes widened in fear for her friend, and she grasped his hand tightly. Gaius ran towards Merlin's side with a mixture which was a murky green and had some steam rising from it, and poured is carefully into his mouth.

"Gaius, what's wrong?" Gwen looked up at Gaius, looking for an answer and for hope in his eyes.

"He temporarily stopped breathing, as you just saw." He paused, not wanting his voice to crack so not to worry the King's Ward and her maid. "The heather and dandelion mixed with hot water has bought him back, but I'm not sure if it'll work for long" he looked gravely down at Merlin,

Morgana stood up and put her arm around Gaius to comfort him, "Merlin is a fighter, Gaius. And I know you worry for him right now." Gaius smiled at Morgana and looked back down at Merlin.

"But I don't know what is wrong with him, that's what I'm worried about." He admitted, wiping away the sleep in his tired eyes.

"Who is Braeden?" Gwen asked quietly, still looking at Merlin.

Morgana looked up "He's a sorcerer, he used to work at the castle"

Gaius took a wooden chair from the table and sat down by the bed Merlin was sleeping in, "Ah yes, I remember him. He was very close to Uther, and Arthur positively adored him."

"He was a good man," Morgana nodded, recalling her memories of him. "I only met him a few times on visits with my father…"

Gaius carried on, "But, by accident, Uther caught him using magic to entertain Arthur, and burnt him at the stake. He was heartbroken, but he had to do it to retain the law. But Braeden escaped, which is why Uther mainly beheads people now…" he shook his head and looked at Gwen, "Where did you get that name?"

"Merlin said it." She simply replied, now gazing up at Gaius and Morgana.

"What else did he say?"

Morgana answered for Gwen, "He was mainly just muttering, I thought he was just delirious."

"But what did he say?!"

"He made no sense. He mentioned Uther, and he was being…" she trailed off, not knowing what came next herself.

"What? Being what?"

"I don't know, he didn't say, he kept screaming whenever he got close to saying anything to us."

"But when he talked to me," Gwen interjected, "his eyes. I saw something in his eyes…"

"What did you see?" asked Gaius, leaning closer to Gwen, wanting- no, needing answers.

"Someone else."


End file.
